by Jonathan Eig
First published 2007
Jackie Robinson steps onto Ebbets Field in 1947, carrying the weight of history and the hopes of millions. As the first Black player in Major League Baseball, Robinson faces hostile crowds, threatening letters, and teammates who refuse to speak to him. Every at-bat becomes a test of character. Every stolen base challenges decades of segregation. Robinson's wife Rachel watches from the stands, knowing that her husband's success or failure will determine whether other Black players get their chance. The Brooklyn Dodgers fight for the pennant while Robinson fights for acceptance. Some teammates gradually warm to him as his talent proves undeniable. Others remain cold. Through spring training, the regular season, and into October, Robinson transforms not just baseball but America itself. His courage on the diamond becomes a symbol of possibility for a nation slowly awakening to civil rights. This is the story of one extraordinary season when sport and social justice collided, forever changing both.
Genres: 20th-century, biographical-fiction, baseball, african-american-historical-fiction, american-history
Vibes: atmospheric, emotional, thought-provoking
Tropes: based-on-true-events, overcoming-adversity, social-change
Setting: Ebbets Field, Brooklyn
Period: 1947
605 pages · Hardcover · Thorndike Pr
Content warnings: racism